Musical toy



March 19, 1935. R. G. KRUEGER 1,994,954

MUSICAL TOY Filed Aug. 28, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet l Zmnentor Ficha/1:16. /frueGer Gttorneg March 19, 1935. R, G. KRUEGER 1,994,954

MUS ICAL TOY Filed Aug. 28, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 dttorneg Patented Mar. 1.9, 1935 l UNITED STAT-Es @PATENT cerise.

16 Claims.

My invention relates to a musical toy which is best exemplied as applied to a doll cradle or a toy doll carriage.

An object of the invention is to provide a musical toy which affords entertainmentv for a child and which may be manipulated by the child to cause a musical device to be operated. r

Another object of the invention is toA provide a childs doll carriage or doll cradle which accompanies by music the rocking of the cradle or the rolling of the doll carriage upon a surface.

VA further object of the invention is to provide a device of this type which is constructed of a minimum number of parts and which is not liable to need frequent repairs.

Other objects of the invention will appear here--V inafter throughout the specification.

In the drawings: v

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a doll cradle of the rocking type with a musical appliance ern-- bodying my invention attached thereto, and forming part thereof Fig. 2 is a bottom plan View of the invention shown by Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional tion disclosed in Fig.` 1;

Fig 4 is a View partly-broken away, disclosing the music box and operating means therefor;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical section of certain of the parts of the musicbox takenV on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of another form of musical appliance embodying my invention, as applied to a childs doll carriage;

Fig. 7 is a bottom plan View of the invention view of the invenilshown by Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a partial vertical sectional viewof the invention disclosed in Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a View partly broken away, disclosing the music box and operating means therefor, and

Fig. 10 is an enlarged vertical section of certain of the parts of the music box shown by Fig. 9.

Referring to Figures 1 to 5 of the drawings, 1 indicates a childs doll cradle having a base portion 2 to which are attached rockers Sand 4. Fastened by screws or other suitable means not shown to the base 2, is a music box. This music box consists of a case or cabinet 5 contrived to produce melodies. Notes are produced by the vibrations of steel teeth 6 struck by minute pegs '7 projecting from the surface ofthe revolving cylinder 8. The box 5 is mounted adjacent either one ofthe rockers 3 or 4, being shown .in the drawings as' mountedadjacent to' rocker 4. The music box includes ka suitable spring (ci. fie-4c) motor or other driving motor, indicated at 9, whichdrives, through suitable gearing 10, the cylinder,` The motor also drives, through the gearfllrmounted rigid on the cylinder 8, escapementrnechanism designated by the vnumeral 12. Pivotally mounted upon the frame of the motor at 13 is an arm 14, which has a hooked end 15, said hooked end being adapted to engage in any y one of a number of holes 16 which have been drilled into or through the gear 11.`

During the playingv of Ythe music, said hooked endk l5 will ride on the at side surface of the gear 11 until one of the'holes 16 comes oppositevthe hooked end 15. Due tothe fact thatthe arm 14 is continuously urged in a clockwise direction by the action'of spring 17, said hook will immediately become engaged in the hole 16 when it comes opposite the hooked end, and thus stop operation krof, the mechanism, unless the arm A14 is at this time moved ina Acounter-clockwise direction by the means ,hereinafterv described. There is a brake arm 18 forming part of the arm v14 which is adapted to engage the rotating escapement mechanism 12 when the hooked end 15 engages in one lof the holes 16. Y When the arm 14, therefore, rotates in a clockwise direction, the hooked end 15 rengages in one ofthe holes 16 and simultaneously the arm 18 comes in Contact with the escapement mechanism, thus forming ay double .stop device preventing further playing of the music.

, Mounted upon the pivot 19 is an arm 20. Said arm 2U has an end21 which is adapted to engage the right hand end of the arm 14 when actuated. The kopposite end 22 of the arm 20 extends slight ly below the curved portion of the rocker 4, and slightly to one sideof the center thereof. The

spring motor is adapted to be wound by a key 23.

The operation of the device is as followsi-e When themusical toy is-in the position indicated in Fig. 3, the arm 20 is in its lowermost position, the end 22 projecting below the bottomV portion of the rocker 4. In this stationary position the hooked end 15 of the arm 14 has engaged in one oi the holes 16 and the brake 18 has Y engaged the escapement mechanism 12, thus preventing operation of the musical box while the cradle remains stationery. When the cradle is moved by a child and given a rockingmotion, the end 22 of the-lever 20 engages the surface of the floor or ground, the lever 2i) being rotated in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 3. The opposite'end 21 of the lever 20 engages the lever 14, and moves the same in a counter-clockwise direction for a distance sufcient to disengage the nose` or projection from one of the holes 16, with which it has been in engagement, and to disengage the brake 18, from engagement with the escapement mechanism 12. The music now starts to play and will continue to play as long as the cradle is rocked.

During the playingv of the music, the end 15 rides upon the side surface of the gear 11. However, unless the cradle is continuously rocked, after a vshort interval the end 15 will again engage in one of the holes 16 and the brake will be applied to the escapement mechanism, thus stopping the playing of the music box. It will be seen, therefore, that it requires theentire attention of the child to operate the cradle in order to keep the music continuously playing. The child soon learns that only when the cradleis continuously rocked will the music continue to play, for'as soon vas the cradle is no longer rocked, it will assume a position indicatedl in Fig. 3, in Awhich the arm 20 reaches its ultimate position in a clockwise direction. This is for the reason that the arm 20 has its greater weight on that side of the pivot having the end 22, and because of the weight being on this side of the pivot, the arm tends Vto` rotate in a clockwise direction, `thusallowing the spring 17 to move the lever and its hooked end 15 in a clockwise direction so that said hooked end may engage one of the holes 16.

Due to the construction above described, the music will be started as soon as the cradle is started rocking, but the music will almost immediately stop unless the rocking of the cradle is continued. v

Fig. 6 illustrates anotherform of my invention asl applied to a doll carriage. Inthis construction, the numeral 24 indicates a doll carriage having a handle 25 for pushing Ythe same.. Mounted beneath YtheV carriage upon suitable supports, are the axles 26 and 27, which support the' wheels 28, 29, 30 and 31. MountedY adjacent .one of the axles is the music box 32. The music box is provided with a spring or other motor 33. The spring motor may have a suitable winding key 34 which drives the gears 35 and 36, rigidly at-- tached to the drum 37. The drum 37 is provided with pegs 38 which engage teeth 39, which produces a musical tune when the drum is rotated. The gear 36 drives suitable escapement mechanism designated by the numeral 40. There is an arm 41 pivotedat 42 and provided with a hook portion or nose 43, which is adapted to engage in a hole 44 which has been drilled in the side face of the gear 36. The opposite end of the arm 4l is provided with a free end 45. There is a pivoted cover member 46`which is pivotally attached at 47 to the gear 36. The end portion of the cover covers the hole 44 when the hooked end 43 is not engaged with the hole 44. The cover 46 is provided with a cam portion 48.

Pivotally mounted at 49 is-a` lever 50 having a hooked end 51. As shown in Figs. 6 to 10 of the drawings, the lever 41 is normally urged in a clockwise direction by the spring 52, so that as soon as the hole comes opposite the hooked end 43, said end will engage in the hole in the gear 36 and stop movement of the gear. At the same time, the brake 53 engages the escapement mechanism 40, thus stopping movement of this mechanism. Due to the fact that the heaviest part of the arm 5G is on the opposite side of the pivot I from that which is adapted to engage the arm 44, said arm will by gravity assume a position which will allow the arm 44 to be moved to its ultimate position in a clockwise direction by the spring 52'. Thus, unless the arm 5G is raised, the arm 44 will not be moved in a counter-clockwise direction to allow the escapement mechanism to operate and the drum 37 to rotate.

Mounted on one of the wheels, as wheel 31, is a stud 54. When the wheel 31 is rotated the stud 54 engages the hooked end 51 of the arm 50, thus raising said arm against Ythe action of gravity and rotating the arm 42 is a counter-clockwise direction against the tension of spring 52, withdrawing the nose from the gear 36 and allowing the playing of the music. As soo-n as the nose 43 is withdrawn from the hole 44, said nose continues to ride upon the side surface of the gear 36, and one or more tunes or pieces are played,

#during-the complete rotation of the drum. As

the nose continues to ride on the gear 44, it will engage the cam surface 48 of the cover 46, and lift said cover at the end of the complete rotation of thedrum 37, provided the lever has not been again rocked by engagement of the stud 54 with" the end 51 of said lever. VIf the lever has been again rocked, the nose 44 is pulled away from the side face of the gear because of the rotation of the lever 41 in a counter-clockwise direction.Vv lThis occurs, however, for a short time only, and the lever is again released, this time the nose coming in contact with thevface of the cover 46. It is thus prevented from entering the hole 44 because this hole is now covered by the cover 46. It has been found in practice that if the doll carriage is continuously rolled, the nose 43 will not enter the hole 44 as it will be prevented from engaging the cam 48, it being lifted before it can engage the cam, and released to contact the face of the cover 46, which at that time is covering the hole 44. The music boxoperates, therefore, provided the carriage is continuously rotated, as long as the spring motor rotates the gears 35, 36Y and drum 37. This is due to the fact that the wheel 3l is ordinarily moved a good deal faster than the gear 36. As the nose 43 approaches the hole 41, the nose is lifted away from the hole because the wheel 31 will ordinarily make several revolutions as the nose approaches the hole 44 and said nose will be lifted'away from the cam face 48 and returned to the side face 46, ir" the wheel 3l is rotated as the nose 43 approaches the hole 44. Y

In both exemplications of my invention illustrated in the drawings, the base of the cradle and the doll carriage forms a sounding board which greatly enhances the musical qualities of the music box. f

I have illustratedtwo embodiments of my invention, it being understood that my inventionV is capable of application to various rocking, rolling, or other movable toys, and that the invention is not to be limited to the embodiments shown, but only as defined in the following claims.

I claim:-

1. A musicaltoy having, in combination, a receptacle for a figure toy, a music box attached thereto and normally held against operation, and

releasing means actuated by movement. of said F receptacle to initiate the playing of said music box, ground engaging means adapted to be actuated upon manual movement of said receptacle, said last named means operating said releasing means.V

2. A device of the class described having in combination, a receptacle, a music box attached thereto, detent mechanism for preventing the voperating movement of said music box, and

means engaging the ground operated by manual movement of said receptacle to release said detent mechanism and permit the music box to operate.

3. A musical toy having, in combination, a receptacle for a ligure toy, a music box attached thereto, said music box including a rotary gear, an escapement mechanism, and means engaging the ground actuated bymovement of said receptacle for releasing said gear and said escapement mechanism to initiate the playing or said music box.

4. A musical toy having, in combination, a'doll cradle, rockers mounted on said cradle, a music box attached thereto and releasing means actuated by movement of said cradle to initiate the playing of said music box, and a ground engaging means for actuating said releasing means.

5. A musical toy having, in combination, a doll carriage, a music box attached thereto, wheels attached to said doll carriage, and releasing means actuated by one of said Wheels to initiate the playing of said music box, and a ground engaging means for actuating said releasing means.

6. In a device of the class described, in combi# nation, a doll cradle, rockers mounted on said cradle, a music box attached to said cradle, detent mechanism for preventing the operating movement of said music box, and ground engaging means mounted adjacent one of said rockers to release said detent mechanism and permit said music box to operate.

'7. In a device of the class described, in combination, a receptacle for a figure toy, a music box attached thereto, said music box having a rotary drum, a gear rigidly attached thereto, a plurality of apertures in said gear, a detent having an end portion adapted to engage in one of said apertures, and means engaging the ground operated by manual movement of said receptacle to release said detent mechanism from one of said apertures and permit the music box to operate.

8. In a device of the class described, in combination, a doll carriage, a music box attached thereto, said music box having a rotary drum and a gear rigidly attached to the same, said-gear having an aperture therein, detent mechanism having means engaging said aperture for preventing the operating movement of said music box, and ground engaging means operated upon movement of said doll carriage to release Saidl detent mechanism and permit the music box to operate.

9,. A device of the class described, having in combination, a doll carriage, a music box attached thereto, said music box including a motor, a rotary member attached to said motor, detent mechanism adapted to engage said rotary member for preventing the operating movement of said music box, and ground engaging means operated upon movement of said doll carriage to release said detent mechanism and permit the music box to operate.

10. A device of the class described having, in combination, a doll carriage, a music box attached thereto, said music box including a rotary member, said rotary member having an aperture therein, a cover member for said aperture, detent mechanism adapted to move said cover mechanism and to enter said aperture for preventing the operating movement of said music box, and ground engaging means operated upon movement of said doll carriage to release said detent mechanism from said aperture and permit the music box to operate.V

11. A device of the class described having, in combination, a doll carriage, a music box attached thereto, said music box including a motor, a rotary member attached to and driven by said motor, said rotary member having an aperture, a cover for said aperture, said cover having a cam surface, detent mechanism adapted to actuate said cam mechanism to move said cover and to enter said aperture, and ground engaging means operated upon movement of said doll carriage for preventing actuation of said cam mechanism and allowing said detent mechanism to bear against said cover and permit the music box to continue to operate.

12. A device of the class described having, in combination, a doll cradle, a plurality of rockers mounted on said doll cradle, a music box attached thereto, detent mechanism for preventing theV posite direction upon movement of said cradle toV release said detent mechanism and permit the music box to operate.

13. A device of the class described having, in combination, a doll cradle, rockers attached thereto, a music box attached to said doll cradle, detent mechanism for preventing the operating movement of said music box, and means consisting of a pivoted lever having one of its ends normally projecting below said rockers, said pivoted lever being adapted to engage the surface upon which the cradle is mounted, whereby upon actuation of said cradle said lever is operated by said surface to release said detent mechanism and permit the music box to operate.

14. A device of the class described having, in combination, a receptacle, a music box attached thereto, detent mechanism for preventing operating of said music box, and lever means engageable With the surface upon which lsaid receptacle is mounted and operated upon movement of said receptacle to release said detent mechanism and permit the music box to operate.

15. A device of the class described having, in combination, a doll cradle, a music box attached thereto, detent mechanism for preventing operating movement of said music box, and ground operated lever means operated upon movement of said receptacle to release said detent mechanism and permit the music box to. operate.

16. A device of the class described having, in combination, a doll cradle, rockers mounted on said cradle, a music box attached thereto, said music box having a motor, a rotary drum driven by said motor, a gear rigidly attached and rotated with said drum, a plurality of apertures in said gear, an escapement mechanism driven by said gear, detent mechanism including a nose engageable in one of said apertures and having a lbrake for engaging said escapement mechanism,

and ground operated means operated upon movement of said doll cradle to release said nose from one of said apertures, and said brake from said escapement mechanism to permit the music box to operate.

RICHARD G. KRUEGER. 

